I know many people who have spent years working for the government, then have left for lucrative careers in private industry. I even know ex-IRS attorneys in this category. 🙂

I don’t begrudge Mr. Downing’s decision to go for more money. I don’t know him. He may have some tuition to pay for. 🙂

And I wish him great success, because the ex-government attorneys are the ones you want by your side when an enthusiastic Deputy U.S. Attorney wants to put you behind bars. The former prosecutors–like Mr. Downing–have lived inside the belly of the beast and they know what to do.

There is one thing I do hope for, however. When Mr. Downing leaves the government, I hope he gets for a client an 80 year old immigrant granny who is facing poverty in her old age because of the current Voluntary Disclosure Program. I have a few of those clients.

Let’s also hope that when faced with this situation Mr. Downing will appreciate the terrible splendor of the moral rectitude and righteous pursuit of sinners from 1111 Constitution Avenue, where there is no distinction between his 80 year old granny with a $1,500 tax liability and Igor Olenicoff.

Because at the moment the IRS treats them as functionally identical. And that is partly Mr. Downing’s doing.